The present invention relates to a device for securing cleaning-implements, such as brooms, scrubbers, squeegees or the like to a handle, at the end of which there are two sprung branch arms forming a fork, which are securable in apertures of the body of the cleaning-implement.
In known practical forms of the construction for brooms or scrubbing-implements, the branch arms extending parallel to each other are bent above the brush body, extended outwardly horizontally above the brush body, then again bent and introduced into the holes in the brush body. For clamping purposes two spring members are used, which are mounted to the horizontal portions of the branch arms of the respective springs having one limb inserted in an additional hole in the brush body and the other limb engaging behind the parallel portion of the respective branch arm.
By means of these spring members, whose limbs which engage behind the branch arms are, if necessary, interconnected in yoke fashion, the ends which engage the holes of the brush body are forced against the walls of the hole and thereby secured in position.
These known handle fixing devices are expensive and their external appearance is not particularly satisfactory. Moreover, the securing of the handle involves several difficulties because the user must exert considerable force for the mounting and the disassembling of the handle.
In another known practical form, U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,110 the mounting operation is substantially simplified. In this case upon one of the branch arms there is hinged a sheet metal bridge, which at its other end carries a hook corresponding in shape to the cross section of the other branch arm. This bridge member is so pivoted that the hook partially engages over the other branch arm so that the bridge member then extends between both of the branch arms. By pressing into position the hook of the bridge member, the branch arms, the ends of which are outwardly bent, are brought into the spread apart condition and thus secured in the holes in the cleaning-implement.
Although this practical form of device is indeed easy to manipulate, it nevertheless has the disadvantage that it is quite easily released. The effect of a slight impact or the influence of torsional forces upon the two branch arms causes the bridge member to spring out. This type of securement is therefore quite unsuitable for the present practical purpose.
In still another known arrangement, U.S. Pat. No. 1,929,848, a pivoting lever is disposed parallel to and above the fork arms, said lever being swivelable on the end of the handle about an axis perpendicular to the latter. The stop is made in the form of a thin-walled strip of sheet metal. In one position of the pivoting lever, in which it is aligned flush with the handle, the fork arms are spread apart, so that the bent ends of said arms firmly grip the body of the cleaning implement. With the pivoting lever in the other position, the fork arms can spring back into their original position, in which they are located closer together and can be removed from the openings in the body of the cleaning implement. Thus, the body can be removed from the handle. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that accidental striking of the pivoting lever causes the latter to leave the clamping position and releases the cleaning implement body at a time when this is undesirable. Naturally, this danger exists in the case of cleaning implements used in the home, especially since it is impossible to avoid striking furniture such as chairs, heaters, and the like with the lower part of the handle.
The present invention therefore takes as its basic purpose the construction of a device of the above-mentioned type in such a manner that it is easy to manipulate but, on the other hand, will offer a sufficient resistance to any pressure, tension and torsional forces arising from the use of the cleaning implement.
Starting from the basis of a device of the construction first above-mentioned, this problem is solved in accordance with the invention in that the device for securing the branch arms to the body of the cleaning implement is a clamping device carried, at least in the clamping position, upon both of said branch arms and having a manual control member and which, by pivoting, can be brought out of an open position into a closed or clamping position.
The adoption of the present invention renders superfluous the use of the spring members of the type necessary in the known art, and thus eliminates the difficulties encountered in the fitting thereof. On the contrary, only one hand is necessary for manipulating the manual control member, and the amount of force necessary for that purpose can be maintained small by suitable design of the clamping device. Also eliminated are the additional bores in the body of the cleaning implement, which were previously necessary for holding the spring members. As contrasted with the other known constructions referred to all the conceivable forces, which could be exerted on the two branch arms to cause premature opening of the device, are absorbed because of the invention the clamping device is mounted, at least in the clamping position; upon both of the branch arms and these forces are transmitted into the support means.
According to the several embodiments of the present invention the clamping device may comprise a pivoting lever, which is either a two-armed lever arranged at one side of both of the branch arms, or else is mounted between said branch arms. In the first case the pivoting lever is movable in the plane defined by the branch arms, and in the other case normal thereto.
Preferably those ends of the branch arms which are to engage in the holes in the body of the cleaning implement are upset, and when in the assembled position these ends engage in undercuts in the holes. This provides a positive securing of the branch arms equally whether these are releasable by or in opposition to the spring force thereof.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become appraent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.